“I had some great motivation this morning,” she said with a smirk.
“Putting in work so that you won’t feel guilty about what you’re going to do later?”
Mimi furrowed her brows. “And what is that supposed to mean?”
“Lying in bed playing PlayStation all day. You can’t burn a lot of calories that way.”
“No, I have creative ways to burn calories in bed,” she said, then pushed her damp hair off her forehead.
Brent gave her a cool glance.
“Did you hear me?” she asked. “Earth to Brent, where did you go?”
“You wouldn’t want to know.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m going to take a shower. It was good seeing you again.”
“You too, Mimi. Hey,” he called out as she turned to head inside. “Would you like to join me for dinner?”
Dinner and dessert, she thought. “Sorry, I have plans,” she replied, remembering one of her Mimi rules of dating. Never accept a date that could turn into a one-night stand. She told herself to add, especially with your neighbor.
“Some other time, then?” he pressed.
Mimi smiled and waved at him before dashing inside. Once she was safely behind closed doors, Mimi took a cleansing breath. Maybe she should’ve said yes to dinner. They could’ve gone to a public place and then... They would’ve had to come to the same place at the end of the night.
“I did the right thing,” she muttered as she grabbed a bottle of water and gulped it down. Mimi stripped out of her wet T-shirt and padded toward the stairs. Then there was a knock at her door. Part of her hoped that it was Brent, because she would change her mind and say yes to dinner.
When she saw it was MJ, she couldn’t hide her disappointment. Snatching the door open, she pointed her finger at MJ’s nose. “Someone has been a bad girl!”
“What are you talking about and why are you half-naked?”
“Went running this morning,” she said as they walked into the living room. “Needed to find out why my best friend abandoned me last night...”
“You left me first!”
“I may have left the spot first, but you and Nic disappeared as soon as the music started and the bartender arrived. So, was it worth the wait?”
“What? Huh?”
“My run. I ran to your house and who was parked in the driveway?” Mimi wiggled her eyebrows. “I hope you two know what you’re doing this time.”
“We’re not doing anything. He had a little... I’m hopeless when it comes to that man. Mimi, I love Nic so much and I know he doesn’t want a relationship, but when I’m with him, I see wedding dresses and doves.”
Mimi shook her head trying to keep her comments to herself, but she knew her friend was cruising for a heartbreak. One of her own causing. Nic made it clear that he wasn’t looking for the relationship MJ wanted and deserved.
“You know what,” Mimi said. “I know someone you should meet.” Since she didn’t believe she and Brent had potential for a relationship, Mimi wanted to see MJ happy with a good guy like Brent.
“Umm, now you’re Miss Fast Love?”
“No, but can you believe I know a really sexy guy who’s just as corny about love as you are? Let me take a shower and then I’ll give you the details.” Dashing upstairs, she ignored MJ’s questions.
Chapter 7
MJ and Mimi headed across the hall, and MJ kept pulling her friend’s arm.
“I’m going to freaking kill you,” MJ gritted out as Mimi knocked on Brent’s door. “What are you doing?”
Mimi turned to MJ. “A big favor for you.”
When the door opened, Jamal was standing there with a big grin on his face. “Ladies, did you come to borrow a cup of sugar?”
Mimi rolled her eyes. “Is Brent here?”
“Brent,” Jamal barked. “Two beautiful women are at the door for you. Come on in, ladies.”
“Who is this clown?” MJ asked. “I know he better not...”
“Shh,” Mimi whispered as Brent walked into the living room. She drank in his smooth brown skin covered by a green-and-white Tulane School of Law T-shirt. Too sexy for words, she thought when they locked eyes.
“Hey, Mimi. To what do I owe this pleasure?” His smile was so disarming and erotic.
“My friend MJ and I were going to cook some dinner and I wanted to invite you over.”
“I thought you had plans,” he said as he folded his massive arms across his chest.
“They fell through,” she said with a shoulder shrug. “So, do you want to join us or what?”
“What about me?” Jamal asked. “I mean, I’m hungry, too.”
Mimi rolled her eyes. “Sorry, we only have enough sushi for three.”
“Sushi?” Jamal said. “I don’t eat raw fish. Let’s have a fish fry instead.”
“Nobody invited you!” Mimi said. “And I’m not going to spend the next three days airing the smell of fried fish out of my house!”
“I have an idea,” Brent said. “You bring the fish and wine over here and I’ll suffer the smell of fish.”
“And I get to stay,” Jamal said. “Besides, I make some mean hush puppies.”
Mimi rolled her eyes. Then an idea popped in her head. “Okay, Brent, why don’t you and MJ go pick up the fish and I’ll go home and get the wine.”
Brent furrowed his brow. What was going on here? “MJ, are you all right with that?”
“No,” she said, then smirked at Mimi. “Mimi’s the cook, not me. So I’ll get the wine and be here when you two return.”
Mimi narrowed her eyes at her friend. This wasn’t the plan and she was going to get MJ when they were alone.
“Fine,” she said. “Let me get my purse. Come on, MJ.”
* * *
When Brent and Jamal were alone, they exchanged confused looks. “What just happened here?” Jamal asked.
“I have no idea.”
“That MJ girl is fine.”
“And I feel like Mimi is trying to hook us up,” Brent said.
“Why would she do that when it is so obvious that you two want to get naked, jump into bed and pretend you’re married?”
“What are you talking about?” Brent asked.
“Even a blind man can see what’s going on with you two.” Jamal laughed. “Why do you think she wants her friend to hook up with you? It’s clear she wants me.”
Brent shook his head. He loved Jamal, but sometimes he could be very delusional. Now was certainly one of those times. He had been surprised to see Jamal at his door after the conversation they’d had that morning, but like the brothers they were, everything had been forgiven and they were going to catch the Braves game before Mimi and MJ showed up.
“I guess living in this building is going to be different,” Brent said as there was a knock at the door.
“Better than living in the boondocks,” Jamal said as he watched Brent open the door.
Mimi smiled and walked inside without MJ. “Ready to head out?” she asked.
“Where’s MJ?” Brent asked.
“Looking for the perfect bottle of wine. I told her Moscato doesn’t pair well with fish and hush puppies.”
“I guess we’d better get going,” Brent said.
“Hey,” Jamal said, throwing his hands up. “What about me?”
Mimi rolled her eyes. “I’m the one making the hush puppies, so I know what ingredients to get,” he said.
“Fine, I guess we’ll make this a nice little threesome,” Mimi said. Jamal grinned at Mimi.
“Now you’re speaking my language, little mama.”
She gritted her teeth. “You know what, I’m going to write a blog about you, Jamal.”
“I’m honored.”
Brent and Jamal headed toward the parking garage and Mimi shook her head. “Publix is three blocks over. Y’all can’t be that lazy.”
“No, but I’m sure you don’t carry bags,” Jamal said.
“We can walk and we’ll carry the bags,” Brent said as he crossed over to Mimi. She was gorgeous standing there with the sun beaming down on her. Her cinnamon-brown curls were pulled up in a messy bun that highlighted her long neck and beautiful face. Especially those eyes. Brent found himself wanting to get lost in her stare as they made love.
“What?” Mimi asked when she locked eyes with Brent.
“You tell me. I ask you out and then you show up at my door with your friend as if we’re in college and you’re playing Cupid.”
“I’m not... You and MJ have a lot in common. I thought you two should meet. What happens next, hey, y’all are grown.”
Brent shook his head. “I don’t do blind dates and I get the feeling that MJ doesn’t, either. Nice one, though,” he said with a grin.
Mimi brushed her hand across her forehead. She was hot but it had nothing to do with the heat from the Georgia sun and everything to do with Brent and his captivating smile. Nervously licking her lips, Mimi tore her eyes away from him.
“Let’s go, guys,” she said. Jamal shook his head as he looked at Brent and Mimi walking together like two lovers.
Once they made it to Publix, Mimi’s heartbeat had calmed to a normal pace by teasing Jamal and ignoring the heated looks Brent kept showering on her. As it turned out, Jamal wasn’t a horrible person. The former marine would be a cool guy if he used his brain more than he used the other head. Then again, he had a point about having fun and enjoying life after seeing so much death in the war.
“Mimi,” Brent said as she stood in front of the seafood counter. The sound of his deep voice sent chills down her spine. Turning around, she faced him and tried to be unaffected. She failed.
“Yes?” she asked breathlessly.
“I’m allergic to shrimp,” he said. Looking down at her hands, Mimi realized that she’d picked up a bag of shrimp.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you allergic to all shellfish? There’s a sale on crab legs and lobster tails.”
“Just shrimp. I love lobster, but I can do without the crab legs.”
Mimi returned the shrimp to the cooler and grabbed four lobster tails. “How do you like it?”
“What?”
“The lobster, how do you like it? Dripping with butter or seasoned?”
The way she said dripping made his body throb with desire. He would love to see her dripping with sweat after making love to her all night. “Butter and lemon, that’s my thing,” he said.
“Typical,” she said with a smirk. “I make a mean lobster seasoning that will blow your mind.”
“I bet there are a lot of mind-blowing things about you, Mimi,” he replied.
Her mouth dropped and she stared at him without saying a word. A rare moment for the ever-outspoken Mimi Collins. “I guess I’m making you uncomfortable,” he said after another silent beat passed.
“No, it’s just... Brent, I could see myself liking you a whole lot and that’s dangerous.”
“Why?”
“Because we don’t want the same thing,” she said, then sighed. “You want the white picket fence. I want to travel and have adventures.”
“Whoa, you’re putting a wedding before a relationship. I thought you warned women about that on your blog.”
She nodded, a little surprised that he had become a regular reader of her blog. “But I see myself wanting something more with you and I’m going to have to stop myself from getting hurt.”
“That doesn’t sound like a life worth living. I tell you what, let’s just be friends and you can stop trying to pawn your girl off on me. I’ll control myself the next time I pass a jewelry store.”
“What?”
“I won’t go in and buy you a three-carat engagement ring.”
“Aww, you don’t know me at all. I want four carats,” she said with a laugh. By the time they headed over to the spice aisle, Mimi felt as if she made a great friend.
* * *
Loaded with grocery bags and beer, Jamal, Brent and Mimi started back to the complex. “I knew this was going to happen,” Jamal groaned as he hoisted a twelve-pack of beer on his shoulder. “We bought all of this sh...”
“You wanted beer,” Mimi pointed out, then held up her two bags. “And I’m carrying something.”
“Yeah, salad,” he grunted.
“Shut up, tough guy,” Brent said. “We’re almost there.”
“So, Mimi, what’s up with your girl MJ?”
Shaking her head, she elbowed him in the side. “Not a chance in hell.”
“What? I’m a nice guy.”
Brent coughed and laughed. “That’s a good one.”
“Come on, Mimi, don’t you believe people can change?” Jamal asked.
“People, yes. From the little I know about you, no.”
“Don’t give him such a hard time,” Brent said as he shifted his bags from his left to right hand. “To know Jamal is to somewhat understand him.”
“Forget both of y’all,” Jamal said. “I don’t need help getting your friend.”
“Is this sport to you?” Mimi snapped, stopping in her tracks. “I mean, men like you make women just want to pre-record their own personal episode of Snapped.”
“That’s not right,” he said. “I give women what they want and I don’t make promises of forever, like some other people.” Jamal shot a look at Brent. “Maybe you should write about him.”
“Wow. I thought you two were best friends,” Mimi said as she took note of the glares between them.
“We’re almost home. Why don’t we talk about the fact that we might not have enough ice for the beer?” Brent snapped.
Mimi wanted to say something, but seeing Brent’s scowl she held her tongue. When they reached the complex, MJ was standing outside talking on her cell phone.
“I can’t do this right now,” she said as she looked at her friends. MJ shoved her phone in her pocket and forced a smile. “It’s about time.”
Mimi winked at MJ. “Remember this was your idea.”
“Let’s get these bags upstairs, because if I know Mimi, there is lobster in there.”
“Lobster tails and the Mimi blend of seasonings,” Mimi replied.
“All right, let’s get cooking,” MJ said. Jamal bounded up the steps and grinned at MJ.
“You’re a cook, huh?” he asked.
“Sometimes,” she replied, smiling brightly at him. Mimi wanted to gag. Part of her wanted to warn her friend, but she also wanted to see MJ get over trifling Nic. So she kept silent. After all, these were adults. And MJ was too smart to fall for Jamal.
“Looks like there’s another friendship developing,” Brent said as they followed MJ and Jamal inside.
“Whatever,” Mimi said.
* * *
Once the groceries were unloaded and the beer and wine were chilling, Mimi and MJ stood at the stove preparing the fish and lobster.
“These guys are actually pretty cool,” MJ said as she battered the flounder. “I needed this.”
“Are you going to tell me what happened last night or not?” Mimi asked as she blended her seasoning mix.
Sighing, MJ turned to her friend with tears in her eyes. “We slept together and I told him that I was still in love with him.”
“No, no, no. Why did you do that?”
“Because it was so amazing and it felt right, but it was wrong. He told me that he wasn’t there and probably wasn’t going be the man I should give my heart to. While we’re lyin
g in bed naked.” Tears sprang into her eyes, but MJ didn’t let them fall.
“Ouch,” Mimi said as she sprinkled the spices on the lobster tails.
“Why is it so hard to find someone to love?” MJ wiped her cheek with the back of her hand and left a streak of cornmeal on her face.
“Because you’re looking,” Mimi replied. “Just let him find you and it will be incredible.”
MJ wiped the mess and the tears from her face as Jamal walked in the kitchen. “Aww hell, what’s with the waterworks?” he asked.
“It’s the onions, and when are you going to get started on those so-called world-famous hush puppies?” Mimi asked as MJ dropped the first batch of fish in the pan.
“That’s why I’m here,” he said with a wink. He crossed over to MJ. “Can we share some space, pretty lady?”
“Sure, but don’t get none of that,” she said, pointing to his bowl, “on me.”
“Messy cooks are the best cooks,” he said as he set the bowl on the counter and washed his hands. “And look at you. Still got a little something on your cheek there.” Jamal picked up a clean dishtowel and gently wiped her cheek.
Brent stood at the door of the kitchen watching Mimi move around with the skill of a gourmet chef. Seemed as if she had one of the characteristics he wanted in a woman: she could cook. And actually looked like she enjoyed it.
“Mimi, the grill is ready if you are,” he said. Brent always wanted his relationships to be about teamwork, and cooking with his boo was always something he’d enjoy. It just never happened. Denisha’s idea of a home-cooked meal had been ordering takeout from Boston Market or a soul food restaurant and putting the food on real plates.
“Two seconds, chef,” she quipped. “Thanks for hooking that up.”
“Anything for you, buddy,” Brent said as Mimi crossed over to him with the pan of lobster tails.
Heading for the patio, she glanced out over the city and felt the need to leave again. Sure, she was having fun with Brent, Jamal and MJ, and this was going to be her next blog post. But she felt as if things were getting stale and that wasn’t her style.
“What’s wrong?” Brent asked when he noticed her far-off look. “You lost something out there or are you thinking about jumping?”
Feel the Heat Page 5
